Advocacy for Youth Employment (ADYE) sought to improve the capacities of youth organisations to advocate for youngsters’ rights in the post-pandemic framework with particular reference to employment. To this end, the project: - Developed skills of youth organisations and advocates, supporters, allies (Capacity Building Training to Youth organisations) - Exchanged & established replicable good practice models for advocacy (Best Practices Guide on Advocacy for Youth Organisations (tools, methods and practical implementation) - Raised awareness with regards to youth unemployment and develop tools and methods to address it on institutional level. ADYE primarily sought to reinforce the links between research, policy and practice. To this end, the project: (a) identified needs related to youth employment at local, regional and national level though field research (b) researched and documented successful advocacy initiatives on youth employment (c) developed and implement replicable models for advocacy for youth organisations.
Youth unemployment rises more sharply and recovers more slowly than the average population. This is even more so for youngsters belonging to minorities and/or groups with fewer opportunities. Given that youngsters who are unable to enter the labour market are much more likely to result being long-term unemployed, lose their faith in their skills and even society as a whole, youth unemployment is a pressing issue that exceeds this particular generation. Anxiety, antisocial behaviors and decreased optimism about the future of EU are only some of the effects of youth unemployment; the depth of this matter indicates the need for a collaborative, institutional approach Youth organisations hold a key role in representing European youth. However, their capacities to be involved in institutional processes of decision making remains limited due to limited capacities in the field of policy and advocacy. Broadening and deepening the channels for youth involvement, particularly of youth with fewer opportunities, in the work and projects of civil society organisations is a prerequisite for achieving significant results - both for organisations and for participants themselves.